World: Castle D'Image
Scene: Summer of 4263, somewhere in Esternesse.
Players: Kerrigan, Fergus = Abby; Xian, Widow Twig = SJ
It is not a particularly prosperous street, its cobbles running to gravel and grass, many of the buildings boarded up. The gutters are dirty and the walls much defaced. From those houses that are occupied, an occasional shouted curse or child's wail sounds against the background noise of the town. Now and then a grubby urchin tears past on some errand, or a mangy alley cat rubs against a doorstep with a mournful howl.
Raven hair spills in ringlets about this small child's round face, having mostly escaped the snood that holds the remainder atop her head. Quick black eyes take in her suroundings with a keen interest, bright with laughter one moment, then stormy with angered tears the next. She is dressed in a kelly green tunic, that fastens with fabric frogs at her right shoulder. It falls to mid-thigh, much stained, and ragged along the hem. Under this, a pair of black pants cover chubby legs to just below her knee, the sides split a few inches. Plain wooden sandals click as she toddles along.
Kerrigan is tall and lean and sharp-featured, with a lithe grace to his movements and a hard-edged mockery to his grin. He is probably seventeen or eighteen, with all the self-conscious attitude that implies; his golden hair, bleached to the color of straw by the sun, is tousled and overlong, and his sea-blue eyes have a constantly guarded look. He is dressed in rough leathers, much battered and travel-stained; a silver chain bracelet graces one thin wrist.
Xian crouches over a puddle, swirling one tiny finger in the filthy water. A battered rag doll is held tightly in one arm.
Kerrigan comes up the street with a light, wary step, hands in his pockets. Though he glances by reflex into the darker side alleys he seems not particularly nervous; even cheerful.
Cat-quick, Xian drops her doll, and snatches up a scurrying mouse. Apparently deciding the furry creature could use a bath, she dunks it into the puddle, giggling merrily.
Kerrigan pauses, squinting at this peculiar performance. He glances about the street, and seeing no adults who look to be in charge of the child - or indeed anyone - calls out, "What you doin'?"
Xian turns, drenched mouse in hand to peer at the boy, small head tilted. Her brow furrows as she tries to make out what he said, then she holds out her hand to show her mildly cleaner mouse.
Kerrigan wrinkles his nose, and elaborates, "What'n'ell you doin' with that?" in a sociable tone as he saunters nearer, having apparently nothing better to do.
Xian looks from him, to the soggy mouse, then back. Again her head tilts, and she asks something in a quick language.
Kerrigan, for all he's well-traveled, has never been good with languages, and so her query is utterly lost on him. Her expression, however, seems to tickle him. "Say what, baby?"
Xian's lips purse as she blinks up at him, and she attempts to mimic him. "B.. b-bebe?" She drops the mouse, having found something far more interesting.
Kerrigan breaks into a rare, genuine, carefree grin. "Sharp little thing, ain't you?" He glances back swiftly along the street to make sure no one he knows is in sight; then crouches down to her level. "Where's y'r mama, sweetheart?"
Xian lifts one wet hand to shove some ringlets from her face, then her keen gaze falls on his hair, eyes widening at the bright colour. She beams brightly at him, and darts out a hand to seize a handful, saying something in a gleeful tone.
Kerrigan looks blank, glancing back again to see what she finds so fascinating... and then yelps. "Heyyy!"
Xian locks her tiny fingers as only small children can, and tugs, wanting a better look. "Takara!" she exclaims in delight.
Kerrigan squawks in pain. "Dammit--- leggo, you!" He ducks his head awkwardly, trying to dislodge her.
Xian continues to cling, though her grip slips down the strands. "Dimit!" she echoes.
Kerrigan reaches up to try and pry her loose. "Hey. Don' say that. --Dammit all, lemme go!" He looks her in the eye, severely. "Din't nobody ever tell y'it ain' nice t'pull hair? Huh?"
Xian's hand falls away, and her lower lip begins to quiver as tears flood her dark eyes.
Kerrigan immediately looks away. "Aww, hell-- don' cry. Look... where's your mama?"
Xian grinds a tiny, dirty fist into one eye, little hitching sounds that promise to turn into ear-splitting wails spilling forth. "Maa?" she asks in a trembling voice.
Kerrigan reaches for her hand. "Yeah. Where's y'r mama? Where's mommy? Y'all by yerself, out here?"
Xian takes his hand willingly enough, then makes a grab for his bracelet, the tears seeming to hold off for the moment. "Iia... takara!"
Kerrigan moves to divert the grab, scowling slightly. "Leave 'at alone. --Where you live, baby? Round here?"
Xian grins up at him, remembering that word. "Bebe!" she squeals in delight, then holds her arms up to him, giving him an expectant look.
Kerrigan's mouth twists oddly. It's doubtful if he's ever picked up a child before. But after a minute he reaches out to slip his hands under her arms and prepares to stand.
Tiny hands fasten on his arms, and Xian beams happily up at him. "Hai!"
Some things even Kerrigan can't screw up. He lifts her into the air easily enough, and holds her there, beginning to grin again. "Hullo, there."
Xian kicks her feet happily, her sandals falling to the ground with a *thunk*. "Lo!" she parrots, beaming.
Kerrigan chuckles outright. "You learn quick, don'ty'?"
A shuffling of footsteps, along with the tapping of a cane, announces the arrival of the Widow Twig. She pauses to peer at the boy a moment, then seeing what he's holding, she starts forward with a scowl, cane waving. "Here! Boy! What are you doing with that baby?"
Kerrigan nearly drops said baby in his surprise, but manages to set her down safely. "What'm I what--?" And then, in dawning horror, "Aw, hell, now lady-- lissen, now..."
Xian blinks up at the old woman, eyes widening. She reaches up to fist a tiny hand in Kerrigan's shirt.
Widow Twig snorts and points at Kerrigan with her cane. "You watch yourself, boy! I know your type, ruffian. Young hooligan!"
Kerrigan holds up his hands. "Lady, lady-- lissename... I swear t'the gods I..."
Xian juts her little chin out, and steps in front of her new friend, glaring up at the widow. "Iie! Baka!"
Widow Twig gasps and clutches at her chest. "Such impudence in the young! You've corrupted her already!"
Kerrigan raises his hands higher in protest. "I never! Honest to--- lady, d'you know this kid? C's if you do..."
Widow Twig makes a grab for the child. "Planning to kidnap her, and hold her for ransom, no doubt. You and the rest of them."
Xian squawks at this, and kicks the poor widow in her shin for her trouble, clinging to Kerrigan. "Iie! Iie!"
Kerrigan gapes at her for a moment; then reflexively reaches to catch the child's collar himself. "Lady, I swear-- I swear on St. Alison's grave I ain't hurtin' the kid, I j's--"
Just then a heavy footfall sounds at the other end of the street, and a burly fellow with a brown beard and a long dagger comes into view. He snorts at the squabble; then, recognizing one of the figures, bursts out laughing. "I'll be damned!"
Widow Twig snags Xian's sleeve as Kerrigan grabs her collar. She yelps at the kick, scowling more. "Little demon child. Doesn't know what's good for her."
Kerrigan scowls right back at her. "Now lissen 'ere--" and then he breaks off, turning white, and half turns. "...Shit," he breathes. He doesn't, however, turn the little girl loose.
Widow Twig is in a high trumagen (??) now. "Oh! And here comes another of you beastly ruffians. Well, you can't have her!" She shakes her cane at the new arrival.
Xian tries to tug her sleeve from the woman's clutching grip, shrieking protests and keeping one small hand fisted in Kerrigan's shirt.
Fergus, for such is the newcomer's name, only laughs the more, and strides up the street toward them. "Here now, wot's the matter? The b'y givin' ye trouble, granny?"
Kerrigan lets out a sigh of exasperation. "For the love o'-- Kid!" as the child's death-grip threatens his balance. "Gods dammit all..."
Widow Twig gives Fergus a baleful look. "As if you didn't know. You likely sent the little hooligan to steal this child!"
Xian twists her arm free with a tearing of cloth, and falls back against Kerrigan, crowing, "Godsdimtal!"
Kerrigan cries, outraged, "No such damn thing!" And then: "Kid!" in despair.
Fergus roars with laughter. "D'ye take me fer a kidnapper, granny?" Aw. With his honest face? "Naw, it looks like the laddie's found hisself a girl-friend, an' high time 'tis!" Amused at himself, he chortles again.
Widow Twig throws up her hands at that, and takes a step back. "What little heathens! And you're no better, you lout!" She takes a swipe at Fergus with her cane.
Kerrigan barks, "Hey now! Hey!" And as the Widow attacks: "Holy St. Alison-- Would y' j's'-- stoppit -- dammit!"
Xian parrots gleefully, "Dimit!" watching the fuss with wide eyes.
Fergus sidesteps the cane blithely, and reaches out to fend it down. "Here, here now, granny, keep that on th' ground where it belongs, eh? Wot's the fuss aboot?"
Kerrigan begins protesting again, vehemently, "I honest-t'-gods was j's' askin' the kid--"
Widow Twig draws herself up and glares at them all. "Well, I never," she huffs. "This little fiend was dangling the child in the air, planning who knows what!"
Xian sticks her tongue out at the Widow, and crosses her eyes for good measure. "Nahhh!"
Kerrigan squawks in outrage, "For the gods' sakes--! you got a filthy mind, granny, you know 'at?" All the while he tries, ineffectually, to detach the little girl.
Fergus snorts, sobering. "Now then, missus, let's no' be hasty, eh? The b'y's harmless... is this liddle 'un yer kin? Or wot business is it o' yourn?"
Widow Twig shakes herself like an angry cat, then turns to make her way off down the street. "Heathens. All of you! I wash my hands of it, I tell you! I wash my hands of it!"
Kerrigan throws up his hands again. "I swear. I swear I wasn' doin' nothin'. I was j's'..."
Xian beams in triumph, and squeals, letting go of Kerrigan's shirt to throw her arms about his leg.
The patter of feet announce a new arrival on the scene of the fuss. A reedy boy of about Kerrigan's age, with the same hair and eyes as the child, steps into the street. He stares at the people a moment, then calls, "Xian!"
Kerrigan breaks off expostulating, looking unutterably relieved.
Xian looks over and squeals again. "Shiro!" She beams happily, and begins jabbering rapidly.
Shiro sighs and hurries over, reaching to grab Xian and peel her off Kerrigan. "Oh, so sorry. She trouble, yes. Bad child. So sorry."
Fergus just looks bemused. He grips Kerrigan's shoulder, murmuring to him in a confidential rumble; then breaks off as the boy approaches. "Aye? This yer liddle sister, eh, laddie?" His grin begins to return.
Kerrigan shakes his head at the other boy. "'s fine. 's fine, j's'... I was j's' tryin' t'take her home, thass all, I swear..." It's unclear at this point who he's trying to convince.
Shiro nods to Fergus, bowing slightly as he drags a kicking and wailing Xian off of Kerrigan, speaking to her sharply in their language. "Hai. So sorry. She trouble," he repeats with emphasis.
Kerrigan seems to agree, but all the same he looks a little guilty at Xian's tears.
Fergus chortles. "Spunky liddle thing," he assures Shiro. "Eh, ye take care now, then..."
Xian cries as her brother hoists her up into his arms, pouting angrily. She stops struggling however, after another sharp command. "Bebe!" she calls to Kerrigan. "Lo, dimit!"
Kerrigan actually grins, and makes so bold as to call after her, "Bye, honey!" before backing off down the street.
Shiro nods and bows awkwardly with his arms full of Xian. "Have good day, sirs. Sorry she trouble." He turns and strides off, pausing only to scoop up Xian's sandals and rag doll.
Fergus shakes his head, highly amused, and watches the pair for a moment before turning and following his charge.
Xian blows kisses to Kerrigan over her brother's shoulder, waving until they turn the corner.